Ardens Grafton

Ardens Grafton is a hamlet or small village in the Stratford on Avon district of Warwickshire, England, situated about 4 miles (6.4 km) east of Alcester and 14 miles (23 km) west of the county town of Warwick. It has a main street and consists mostly of houses constructed of local stone with tiled roofs, with the exception of two properties, 'Manor Cottage' and 'Chapel House' both of which have timber-framed walls and a thatched roof. Two other buildings retain fragments of ancient framing.[1] During the reign of Edward III in 1347 the village was recorded as Grafton Inferior while neighbouring Temple Grafton(where population details can be found), 0.50 miles (0.80 km) to the East, was named Superior[2] Other designations used during the Middle Ages were Nether Grafton, Grafton Inferior or Grafton Minor whilst the larger village of Temple Grafton was distinguished as Over Grafton, Grafton Superior, Church Grafton, or Grafton Major. A reference to 'Temple Grafton alias Ardens Grafton' occurs in 1650.[1]

Ardens Grafton

Ardens Grafton
Ardens Grafton
Location within Warwickshire
OS grid referenceSP1154
District
Shire county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townALCESTER
Postcode districtB49
Dialling code01789
PoliceWarwickshire
FireWarwickshire
AmbulanceWest Midlands
UK Parliament

History

Grafton Minor occurs in a grant to Evesham Abbey by Ufa, Sheriff of Warwickshire, dated 973. As it is included among Ethelwig, Abbot of Evesham's acquisitions ('Alia Graftun') it may in the meantime have been lost by the monastery, and with Temple Grafton seized by the Odo, Bishop of Bayeux, quasi lupus rapax, (like a ravaging wolf) after Ethelwig's death. It is most probably to be identified with the 3 hides and 1 virgate in 'Graston'[1] which Domesday records among the possessions of William Fitz-Corbucion; Leuric and Eileua held it of him and before the Conquest they had held it freely. "Leofric and Aelfeva hold 3 hides and 1 virgate in Graston (Ardens Grafton). Land for 2 ploughs. In lordship 1; 2 slaves; 1 villager and 3 smallholders with 1 plough. Meadow 4 acres. The value was 40s; now 30s. They also held it themselves freely."[3]

Governance

Ardens Grafton is part of the Bardon ward of Stratford on Avon District Council and represented by Councillor Robert Vaudry, Conservative. Nationally it is part of Stratford-on-Avon (UK Parliament constituency), whose current Member of Parliament is Nadhim Zahawi of the Conservative Party. Prior to Brexit in 2020, it was part of the West Midlands electoral region of the European Parliament.

Geography
Arden and Temple Grafton are above the escarpment

The land rises to an altitude of over 300 ft. in the northern part of the parish and slopes down to about 180 ft. by the river-bank at Hillborough, 2 miles (3.2 km) to the south. The hamlet stands on the edge of the hill, commanding views across the valley to Bredon Hill and the Cotswolds.[1]

Education

The nearest Primary School is Temple Grafton Church of England Primary School having 102 pupils on its roll.

School Compulsory education stage School website Ofsted details
Temple Grafton Church of England Primary School Primary Temple Grafton Church of England School Ofsted details for unique reference number 125647

The nearest secondary schools are located in Alcester 4 miles (6.4 km) or Stratford-upon-Avon 6 miles (9.7 km).

References
  1. 'Parishes: Temple Grafton', A History of the County of Warwick: Volume 3: Barlichway hundred (1945), pp. 94-100.Date accessed: 26 August 2011.
  2. William Dugdale, The Antiquities of Warwickshire, 1656
  3. Domesday Book for Warwickshire, Phillimore edited by John Morris ISBN 0-85033-141-2
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